繳旗觀妖 Returning the Banner
說了誓，將身一縱，把尾子趬了一趬，跳在南天門前，謝了哪吒太子麾旗相助之功。太子回宮繳旨，將旗送還真武不題。這行者佇立霄漢之間，觀看那個小妖。畢竟不知怎生區處，且聽下回分解。说了誓，将身一纵，把尾子趬了一趬，跳在南天门前，谢了哪咤太子麾旗相助之功。太子回宫缴旨，将旗送还真武不题。这行者伫立霄汉之间，观看那个小妖。毕竟不知怎生区处，且听下回分解。
逐句解 Line by line
The oath sworn, he gave his body a spring and his tail a flick, leapt before the Southern Gate of Heaven, and thanked Prince Nezha for the aid of his waving banner.
將身一縱 (jiāng shēn yí zòng), "gave himself a spring," 將 again standing in for 把. 麾旗相助 (huī qí xiāng zhù), "the help of the waving banner," 相 read xiāng. He settles his debts before he leaves, which is more than he did with the mountain gods.
The Prince returned to his palace to report the mission done, and sent the banner back to Zhenwu — of which no more.
繳旨 (jiǎo zhǐ) is to report back that a commission has been carried out -- the closing entry in the file. 送還真武 (sòng huán zhēn wǔ), "returned it to Zhenwu," 還 read huán, "to give back," not the hái of "still." The borrowed banner goes back on its shelf and Heaven's books are square.
Pilgrim stood poised amid the empyrean, watching the little imps below.
佇立霄漢 (zhù lì xiāo hàn), "standing still in the high air" -- 霄漢 is the upper sky, the region of the Milky Way. 觀看 (guān kàn), "watching," 觀 read guān. An hour ago he was under three mountains. Now he is above the weather, looking down at the men who were sent to dissolve him.
In the end there is no telling how the matter will be dealt with — so listen to the next installment for the telling.
怎生區處 (zěn shēng qū chǔ), "how the thing will be dealt with," 處 read chǔ, "to manage," not chù, "a place." 且聽下回分解 is the storyteller's sign-off, the same words that end almost every chapter of the book -- 解 read jiě, "to unravel." It is a market-square hook that survived into print: come back tomorrow and I will untangle it for you.
With the treasures won, Pilgrim squares his accounts. A spring of the body carries him to the Southern Gate to thank Nezha, the borrowed banner goes back to Zhenwu, and the commission is formally reported as discharged. The brisk winding-down mirrors the efficiency of the whole operation: help summoned, used and repaid, with the victims none the wiser.
The chapter closes on an image of watchful ascendancy -- the Great Sage standing in the high air, looking down at the imps he has fleeced -- and on the storyteller's customary hook. The reversal is complete but nothing is concluded. Two treasures are won and three remain unaccounted for; Tripitaka, Bajie and Sha Monk are still strung up in the Lotus-Flower Cave; and the demons do not yet know that their surest weapon has changed hands. The contest of wits has been joined, and its opening round decisively won.